How would the world change if everyone said “Hi” to a complete stranger? duplicate. until response., a group concept exhibition curated by Laris Kreslins attempts to answer this question. Dozens of artists mailed artwork to unsuspecting strangers randomly selected from phone books and asked for feedback. The artwork, and the communication exchanges are on display for this exhibit.

Join BlackStar Film Festival’s Artistic Director Maori Karmael Holmes for a Behind the Screen conversation with renowned cinematographer Shawn Peters on the intersection between film, music, and art.

The Brooklyn-based Peters uses light and form to tell unique stories. He has been recently recognized for his work in the Sundance selected feature film An Oversimplification of Her Beauty as well as the documentary series The Triptych. He has been a sought after eye for music videos since he burst including collaborations with Pharoah Monch,Cody ChesnuTT, Gregory Porter, and Esperanza Spalding. Peters also serves as the consulting Performance Producer for the Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn.

ABOUT BARNES FREE FIRST SUNDAYS
The Barnes Foundation offers free admission and programming on the first Sunday of every month. Visitors are welcome to attend talks, performances, and hands-on activities throughout the day. Tickets are limited and cannot be reserved in advance; they are available on-site starting at 9 am. First Sundays, 10 am–6 pm; programming 1–4 pm.

Free tickets can be obtained on-site at The Barnes Foundation beginning at 9 am. Advance reservations are not available for Free First Sundays. This offer is limited to tickets for two adults and two children per transaction. Tickets are limited and available on a first come-first served basis. Tickets include access to the Collection gallery, special exhibition and any programming taking place that day.

In conjunction with the 2014 Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference, Leeway presents its Second Trans Literary Salon highlighting the work of emerging literary artists from a diversity of genres including poetry, fiction, memoir, and spoken word. The salon will feature readings from Annie Mok (ACG ’13), Dark Matter, Imogen Binnie, J Mase III (ACG ’07), and KOKUMỌ. Audience members are invited to bring work to share. Hosted by J Mase III. Thursday, June 12 from 7:30pm – 9:00pm at the Leeway Foundation (1315 Walnut Street, Suite 832). More details can be found here.

I haven’t seen Watermarkyet so I can’t vouch for this film, but I can say that Jennifer Baichwal’s 2006 film Manufactured Landscapes–which like Watermark is a collaboration with photographer Edward Burtynsky–is one of my favorite documentaries. The film screens next Thursday at the International House. Details are available here.

Award winning filmmakers Jennifer Baichwal and Nick de Pencier, and renowned photographer Edward Burtynsky, beautifully weave together diverse stories from around the globe that eloquently detail humanity’s relationship with water through the ages: how we are drawn to it, how we use it, and the magnitude of our need for this rapidly depleting resource. Full of soaring aerial perspectives, this film shows water as a terra-forming element and the scale of its reach. This is balanced by forays into the particular: a lingering memory of a stolen river, a mysterious figure roaming ancient rice terraces. These images, both beautiful and haunting, create a compelling global portrait that illustrates humanity’s past, present and future relationship with the natural world. In WATERMARK, the viewer is immersed in a world defined by a magnificent force of nature that we all too often take for granted – until it’s gone.

Joe Kim, from the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, is curating this great line up of films (and a K-Pop dance party!) at the Philadelphia Museum of Art over the next month. For more info on these events, click here or scroll below.

Sunday, March 16th, 1pm
We kick off the Korean film series with a screening of the North Korean documentary “A State of Mind”, filmmaker Daniel Gordon’s beautifully photographed film that takes the viewer deep into the culture of this isolated land than ever before. This program begins with a conversation with British director Daniel Gordon (who also recently directed the ESPN 30 For 30 film “9.79*”) followed by a screening of A State of Mind. It should be a great program and discussion.

April 9: Sunny
An unexpectedly big hit in South Korea, “Sunny” is a heartwarming coming of age comedy that will alternately make you laugh and cry as these long-lost friends discover they can still change one another’s lives. Featuring a soundtrack of American 80’s pop hits. Feel free to come dressed in your 80’s best!

Award-winning Korean writer/director/editor Kim Ki-duk has crafted a lushly exotic, yet universal story about the human spirit and its evolution, from innocence to love, evil to enlightenment, and ultimately to rebirth.

April 23: Planet B-Boy
Korean-American filmmaker Benson Lee (who grew up in Philadelphia) sought to answer the question of how South Korea became the epicenter of the global phenomenon known as breakdancing, which originated in the Bronx in the 1970s. Weaving between the vivid backdrops of Osaka, Paris, Las Vegas, and Seoul, unforgettable images frame the intimate stories of international teams of dancers who struggle to fulfill their dreams. Featuring a b-boy performance after the film.

Screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, The Yellow Sea is an impressive crime thriller with amazing action reminiscent of the Bourne series from director Na Hong-jin (The Chaser).

Student designers from the fashion department of the Art Institute of Philadelphia kick off the evening by showcasing runway looks using professional models. This evening also features a K-pop (Korean pop) performance, a mini dance class, and a dance party in the museum!

Korean Drama Series: Sungkyunkwan Scandal

Wednesdays 5:30-8:30pm (Mar 19, 26, May 7, 14, 21)
Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010) is a South Korean drama about a girl who disguises herself as a boy while attending Sungkyunkwan, the Joseon Dynasty’s highest educational institute, where no women were allowed. Each screening features three episodes and is presented by Drama Fever, the largest online video site for the distribution of international televised content.